OK, ... got out my Sage Brush & Pine looking for photos of the telegraph / phone poles.
A couple points to note:
Says here that gold was discovered in the Sumpter area in 1861, and that a rush resulted the next spring.
Baker City "founded" 1874.
UP rails came to Baker in 1884.
David Eccles & Co. come to Baker in 1889.
SV rails started in 1890.
Sounds about right to me.
Pg. 16 Dated 1898 Shows single ten-pin arm lead w/ all pins in service. Pushed over pole in foreground exhibits single bracket.
Pg. 24 Dated 1908 Shows single wire attached to trees and Red Bridge.
Pg. 42 Wreck scene dated 1912 Shows single ten-pin arm w/ possible brackets (?) Wires seem to be going in odd directions.
Pg. 71 Lucius Beebe (mid 40's) shows single ten-pin arm with brackets, multipoint tramp brackets on arm.
Pgs. 72-3 Dated 1946 Shows single ten-pin arm, all pins in use.
Pg. 74 Same as 72
Pg. 76 and 77 Same as 72
Pg. 79 Dated "calm before WWII" Shows ten-pin arm, all pins in use.
Pg. 84 1946 Shows single ten-pin arm with two tramp drop brackets.
Pgs. 86-7 Two shots dated 1946 show single ten pin arm, all pins in use.
Pg. 88 Good clear shot of single ten-pin arm. (1930's?) One can clearly make out insulators. L to R: 121 Hemingray No.16, 122 Hemingray-16, 154 Hemingray-42, 121 Hemingray No.16, 133 W, Brookfield NY, 133 W. Brookfield NY, 102 Brookfield, 102 Brookfield. Most of these are not RR telegraph insulators, but typical phone types. Note tramp drop brackets on 2nd pole.
There must be another ten photos showing this single ten-pin arm line in later years. I guess this leads me to wonder when the RR did this construction / rebuild from a single wire line, or was that single wire something besides the RR's communication line ? Anyone have better early pix ? I question the date of the photo on Pg. 24.
Also note Pg. 109 Shows OLC Heisler 104 and a two wire lead. The pole looks to be made of cut lumber and very short! No doubt a classic home-built line into the woods!
SV Lineman